Slit adjustment clamp



July 7, 1959 MCKENZIE 2,894,138

SLIT ADJUSTMENT CLAMP Filed Oct. 8, 1946 I INVENTOR. Mann: {/7 B MAenz/ United States Patent SLIT ADJUSTMENT CLAMP Kenneth R. McKenzie, Richmond, Califi, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Application October 8, 1946, Serial No. 101,908

. 7 Claims. (Cl. 250-495 acceleratingthe ions about arcuate paths of radii corresponding to the respective masses of the ions. At or near the focal points ofthese ion beams appropriate receivers are provided to collect ions of the desired isotopes. In these spectrometers a chamber is provided for heating the substances containing radioactive materials such as'ur'aniurn ores, and" electrodes are positioned therein for ionizing the gases thus formed. A plurality of slits known as J slits are provided for the egress of the ions and an accelerating electrode with what is know as G slits therein is provided for ejection of the ions through the J slits and movement of them about arcuate paths. The alignment of the J and G slits is critical to successful operation of the system and this alignment must be accomplished by movement of the negatively charged electrode in both the horizontal and vertical planes as well as tilting it about three axes at right angles to each other. Great difiiculty has been encountered in aligning these slits in proper relation, and considerable time is required in this aligning operation.

Applicant with a knowledge of all of these problems in the prior art has for an object of his invention the provision of a support which will quickly and accurately aline the G slits in the electrode with the J slits of the ionizing chamber.

Applicant has as another object of his invention the provision of a support which will permit adjustment along planes at right angles to each other and also provide further adjustment about axes at right angles to each other so that the G slits of the electrode may be very accurately alined with the J slits of the ionizing chamber.

Applicant has as a further object of his invention the provision of a support for an electrode which will permit adjustment about an X, a Y, and a Z axis, all at right angles to each other to facilitate alignment of the electrode with the other apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective of an electrode supported by my improved aligning support. Fig. 2 is a fragmental end view of a portion of the adjusting means employed in my improved support. Fig. 3 is a fragmental front elevation of a portion of the adjusting means employed in my improved support.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the usual insulator of substantially cylindrical configuration from which the electrode is ordinarily suspended. Mounted on and substantially covering the end of insulator 1 is an end cap 2 of substantially cup-shape having a periphen'al flange. which surrounds the end of the insulator. and is secured thereto, or the end plate may simply be of flat circular configuration, without the flange, as is desired. Mounted on the end cap 2 by two diametrically opposite screws 3, 4 is a leveling plate 5. This plate is preferably of flat circular configuration. The screws 3, 4 thread into bores in the end cap 2 and lie in substantially a vertical plane. set of screws is a second set of screws 6,. 7. These latter screws are diametrically opposed and are screw threaded into leveling plate or cap 5, passing through it and having their ends bearing against the end cap 2. Carried by the leveling plate 5 is a stud or cap screw 8 which has screw threaded engagement with a central bore in the leveling plate and passes through an enlarged opening in the support bracket 9.

The supporting bracket 9 may be of elongated fiat configuration made from copper or other appropriate material. One end ltlmay extend at right angles to the main body of the bracket and may be secured to the electrode 11 by a screw 12 or other fastening which passes through the bracket and screw threadedly engages the electrode 11. The forward end of bracket is reduced and a slot is formed therein at 14 to give ready access to the adjusting screw 6 for the purpose of adjusting it or removing same The G slits referredto hereinbefore are lndicated at 13 and must be kept in alignment with the I slits (not shown) of the J chamber.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the G slits can be adjusted about one axis by loosening one of the adjusting screws of a set and tightening the other adjusting screw, that is, for example, loosening screw 3 and tightening screw 4 of one set of adjusting screws, or loosening screw 6 and tightening screw '7 of the other set of adjusting screws. This will permit adjustment about two axes of rotation set at from each other. To adjust about an axis of rotation in the third plane at 90 to the other two, screw 8 may be loosened and the bracket 9 and electrode 11 may be swung about the longitudinal axis of the insulator with screw 8 as a pivot. Thereafter it may be tightened up and the bracket and electrode retained in adjusted position. Since the opening in bracket 9 for the reception of screw or stud 8 is large as compared to the diameter of the screw or stud, and fits loosely about it, it will be seen that adjustment of the electrode both in a horizontal and a vertical plane are possible by simply loosening screw or stud 8 and sliding the bracket in either a horizontal or vertical plane.

With the foregoing adjustments, the cathode electrode may be very quickly and very accurately adjusted in all necessary planes and about all necessary axes to provide the desired alignment of the G slits with the J slits.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. An electrode support of the character described comprising an insulator, a leveling plate carried by the insulator and having diametrically opposed attaching means secured to said plate and said insulator and diametrically opposed adjusting screws for bearing against said insulator, said attaching and adjusting screws being positioned in planes at substantially right angles to each other so as to provide adjustment about axes substantially perpendicular to each other, and an electrode associated with said plate for adjustment therewith.

2. An electrode support of the character described comprising an insulator, an electrode, and means for supporting said electrode from said insulator, said means including an element mounted on said insulator and adjustable about axes substantially perpendicular to each other, and an arm bridging said electrode and said element, said arm being rigidly joined to said electrode and Patented July 7, 1959 Positioned at right angles to the first 3 being adjustably joined to said element whereby to pivot about it.

3. An electrode support of the character describe-d comprising an electrode, an insulator, a plate carried by said insulator and having diametrically opposed adjusting screws for hearing against said insulator, and diametrically opposed attaching screws passing through said plate and seated in said insulator and so arranged-.asto provide adjustment about a plurality of axes, and a bracket for adjustably mounting said electrode on said plate.

4. An electrode support of the character described comprising an insulator, an electrode, means for mounting said electrode on said insulator, said means including a plate carried by the insulator andhaving diametrically opposed attaching screws passing through the plate and seated in the insulator and diametrically opposed adjusting screws bearing against the insulator and so arranged as to provide adjustment about axes at substantially right angles to each other, and ahracket bridging said electrode and plate for adjustably mounting said electrode on said plate.

5. An electrode support of the character described comprising an insulator, an electrode, means 'for 'supporting said electrode from said insulator, said means including a plate carried by the insulator and having diametrically opposed attaching screws passing through the plate and seated in the insulator and diametrically opposed adjusting screws passing through the plate and bearing against the insulator for adjustment of said plate about axes at substantially right angles to each other, a bracket bridging said electrode and said plate, an opening in said bracket adjacent one end, and means passing 4 through said opening and carried by said plate to permit pivotal adjustment of the bracket.

6. An electrode support or the character described comprising an insulator, an electrode, and means for supporting said electrode from said insulator, said means including a plate carried by the insulator and having sets of diametrically opposed attaching and adjusting screws to provide adjustment .about axes at substantially right angles to each other, said attaching screws being seated in the insulator and said adjustingscrews having their ends bearing against said insulator, a bracket bridging the plate and the electrode, an enlarged opening adjacent one end of the plate, .and ascrew carried .by said plate and passing through said opening to provide both axial adjustment and adjustment in a plurality 'of planes with respect to the insulator.

7. An electrode support of the character described comprising an insulator, an electrode, and means for supporting .said electrode from the .insulator, said means including aplate, apair of diametricallyoppposed attaching screws for joining the plate to the insulator, diametrically opposed adjusting screws passing through the plate and pressing against the insulator, whereby to provide adjustment in planes at substantially right angles to each other, and a bracket bridging said plate and said electrode, said bracket being rigidly joined to said electrode and adjustably joined to the plate.

References Cited in-the. file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,4205 60 Ramo "May 1-3, 1947 

